Angler success : 99 % location/ 1% everything else??? 2024

SENKOSAM reply :

I've been fishing a lonnnnnng time and have done well different times of year either solo or with others, but one thing that smacks me upside the head is the fact that luck has as much to do with finding fish as catching them for some anglers such as myself. On the other hand, knowing a body of water and fishing higher potential (active) fish locations always puts the odds in the favor of a minority of skilled anglers. But it's like, which came first - the chicken or the egg? In other words, is knowing the seasonal locations of fish attracting structure in lake X far more important than the search lures or other equipment you use?

Key spots change depending on how much pressure is applied, but generally fish will feed more often in a small percentage of a lake's area. In my club, we have a few individuals that can usually do well on large or small waters they've fished many times where many of us struggle to find fish because we don't know the lake. You could hand us the best lure for the day and still we couldn't find fish on our own that would bite it.

So, it seems to me that when many go gaga over this or that piece of equipment, that maybe their wishing that their equipment (rods, reels, lures) will some how increase their odds of finding and catching fish versus first using sonar to pick apart a lake's bottom composition and depth changes or maybe even fishing with others that have a lock on that information.

No doubt presentation, lure characteristics, line diameter, retrieve speed, etc. contribute once active fish are found, but in the scheme of things isn't that only 1 percent or less of your success?

Last anecdote to illustrate what I'm touching on. Last fall, I fished with a very talented individual who knew a large reservoir like the back of his hand. The problem was finding fish that would cooperate in areas he had done well on in previous trips. We went bite-less for hours of rowing and a thousand casts only to change locations (in desparation) to areas I suggested might hold fish. My partner then used lures to then catch fish (some nice ones I might add) while I held the boat into the wind (only row boats allowed). I have no doubt that on a different day his locations would have produced and with a variety of lures used correctly, but on that day, one-per-spot fish locations trumped general fish location and therefore the lure, presentation and equipment used mattered as much or more than just general locaton.

In other words, I'd rather be in a boat with someone who knows the water versus one who owns the best equipment and doesn't.

roadwarrior reply :

Location, broadly defined is everything: structure

and cover, depth, bottom composition, slope, current,

water temperature, weather and time of year to name

a few factors.

However, other things come into play. Look no further

than The Classic. A bunch of Pros found fish on virtually

the same spot, then fished nearly identical lures. There

is someything to be said for presentation.

;D ;D

rubba bubba reply :

Quote

However, other things come into play. Look no further

than The Classic. A bunch of Pros found fish on virtually

the same spot, then fished nearly identical lures. There

is someything to be said for presentation.

This pretty much sums things up. Thread over.

J Francho reply :

Quote
In other words, I'd rather be in a boat with someone who knows the water versus one who owns the best equipment and doesn't.

I'd rather be in the boat with someone that was willing to learn the water with me. Equipment isn't part of the equation. New gear is always something to gaga over. Its part of the fun - toys.

slonezp reply :

So, basicly if there are no fish in the water you are casting to you will not catch fish?

What makes you certain, on your rowboat resivoir, the first place you tried and got skunked wasn't holding fish? It is possible there were fish there and due to particular conditions at that spot the fish had lockjaw.

Have you ever fished an area you're confident holds fish, get skunked, and return later in the day only to catch them? Have you ever been on a bite only for it to shut down, and start back up again? Do you believe the fish are moving in and out or just decided they weren't hungry?

Rods, reels, lures, and boats are just tools to get the job done. If the work(fish) isn't there all the tools in the world don't matter. I'm a mechanic by trade and if I don't have the proper tools either I don't work or my job becomes more difficult. Life is much easier if I have the right tool for the job. Same goes with fishing.

I agree that the ability to find fish is #1 and catch them is #2 but 99% vs 1% is way off.

Raul reply :

If you present your bait poorly in the best location I don 't think you are going to be more sucessful than presenting you bait perfectly in the wrong location, so location and presentation go hand by hand.

J Francho reply :

Quote
If you present your bait poorly in the best location I don 't think you are going to be more sucessful than presenting you bait perfectly in the wrong location, so location and presentation go hand by hand.

You stand a MUCH better chance of getting bit throwing your bait near fish, than somewhere NONE exist. Presentation aside.

5bass reply :

Quote
So, basicly if there are no fish in the water you are casting to you will not catch fish?

Correct. It doesn't matter how you present your bait if there are no fish around to see it. You cannot catch fish that are not there. You might as well go cast in your driveway and save some gas.

Find them first, then fine tune your presentation.

Lund Explorer reply :

F + L + P = Success!

A lesson learned over thirty years ago from the pages of In-Fisherman has helped countless people become more consistent at finding and catching fish.

Fish + Location + Presentation = Success!

I can't remember anyone saying that you can accomplish this task by ignoring one or more of these parts.

senile1 reply :

Finding fish-holding locations is paramount. Once found, fine-tuning your presentation is the next goal. Presentation is useless if fish are unavailable. A large reservoir is a perfect example. When newly formed, fish can be all over the lake on many different structures. As the lake ages the fish slowly find the best structures in each area to use for their daily activities and many parts of the lake became skunk territory. As Senkosam stated, this is when it becomes very advantageous to know the lake, or at least to learn it quickly. Fishing with a buddy who knows a lake shortens the learning curve.

Catt reply :

Quote
Location, broadly defined is everything: structure
and cover, depth, bottom composition, slope, current,

water temperature, weather and time of year to name

a few factors.

However, other things come into play. Look no further

than The Classic. A bunch of Pros found fish on virtually

the same spot, then fished nearly identical lures. There

is someything to be said for presentation.

;D ;D

One angler was on the sweet spot on the spot

Missouribassman95 reply :

Quote

Quote
In other words, I'd rather be in a boat with someone who knows the water versus one who owns the best equipment and doesn't.

I'd rather be in the boat with someone that was willing to learn the water with me. Equipment isn't part of the equation. New gear is always something to gaga over. Its part of the fun - toys.

I agree 100% percent!

Crestliner2008 reply :

Quote
F + L + P = Success!
A lesson learned over thirty years ago from the pages of In-Fisherman has helped countless people become more consistent at finding and catching fish.

Fish + Location + Presentation = Success!

I can't remember anyone saying that you can accomplish this task by ignoring one or more of these parts.

I couldn't agree more.

HookSetDon reply :

i love fishing

Sam reply :

Senkosam,

We all love our equipment.

We want the best equipment we can afford.

But if we have the best equipment and fish in our bathtubs we are not going to catch anything.

So you are correct about finding the fish.

As we learned in the Army: Know Your Enemy.

texasoldtimer reply :

Last weekend I was in a creek on Lake Fork flipping jigs into timber along the creek channel. 100 yards away there was a guide with 2 clients fishing a drain on the clear side of the cove. I flipped for 2 hours while they fished the drain without any luck by either boat. An hour after they left the wind got so strong that jig fishing became impossible. My partner and I moved over to the wind blown drain and landed 20 fish over 4 pounds including a 9#, 8# and several sixes. That guide knew that was a great spot but was there at the wrong time. So TIMING becomes a huge ingredient even if you are in the right location.

Fat-G reply :

Quote
i love fishing

Same here man.

Catt reply :

Location & timing

If you're on prime structure and not catching then the timing is wrong, if you're not on prime structure then the timing doesn't matter cause you can't catch what aint there. On any particular day I'll have as many as dozen places in mind that fit seasonal conditions, weather conditions, and so forth. Some days it will take only three or four, while some days it takes the whole dozen plus. On any given day you can try to locate active bass or you can try to force feed non-active bass.

Consistently catching bass is a process of elimination and duplication. Eliminate patterns and structures that are non-productive and duplicate structures and patterns that are productive.

J Francho reply :

If you are on fish, then do something, even if its wrong.

riverfisher reply :

Mottfia reply :

My opinion of it is that an angler's success is based on his/her knowledge more than anything else in the long run

SENKOSAM reply :

Quote

Quote

Quote
In other words, I'd rather be in a boat with someone who knows the water versus one who owns the best equipment and doesn't.

I'd rather be in the boat with someone that was willing to learn the water with me. Equipment isn't part of the equation. New gear is always something to gaga over. Its part of the fun - toys.

I agree 100% percent!

I second that!!!

I've fished tournaments with cluelss anglers that had no idea how deep they were fishing with lures that might not even have been capable of being fished near the bottom. I've always been under the impression that the first place to fish was on or near bottom on or near contours or other high potential fish holding structure.

I guess what I was asking is, when you go to a body of water for the first time alone or with someone, is it a priority to find and learn structure that has the greatest potential to hold fish, regardless of the lures you might cast?

I believe what Senile said pretty much sums up lure choices:

Finding fish-holding locations is paramount. Once found, fine-tuning your presentation is the next goal. and part of presentation always dictates lure selection.

The fact remains that even if you find and catch fish and give your partner the rod/reel/lure you caught them on, doesn't mean they can catch fish in the same area as RW touched on. Active schoolies are a no-brainer where presentation/lure selection is quite broad (the exception), but it's the deeper fish or those in heavier cover that require "fine tuning" (average for post spawn).

roadwarrior reply :

When you don't have a clue, the simple solution

is to fish points and around grass. Regardless of

how heavily these obvious spots get hammered,

they (almost) always hold a few fish.

8-)

Catt reply :

Understand what the primary prey species in your lake is and how that species relates to structure with each changing season...morning, noon, and night.

Locate prime structure, interpret it (find break lines), and then figure how fish it effectively (lure selection & presentation).

Next is timing; just because you didn't get bite does not mean the bass aren't there or you tied on the wrong lure. Some times it's a morning bite sometimes it's an afternoon bite.

Don't over complicate it

Blue Streak reply :

If they ain't there you ain't gonna catch them, no way no how. Find them first and then figure out how to catch them. There is a whole lot of dead space on any water. Find em and fish.

Fish Chris reply :

Location is certainly VERY important...... But I think 99% to 1% everything else, is a bit skewed..... Unless you were using that loosely, just to make a point.

BTW, I am NOT one of those guys that will just blindly fish down a bank, covering a ton of water. Instead, I have put together big fish routs, with several key spots, that I will put 95% of my fishing efforts into fishing.

So, you don't even have to ask me if I think location is important

Peace,

Fish

SENKOSAM reply :

The original question:

Is knowing the seasonal locations of fish attracting structure in lake X far more important than the search lures or other equipment you use?

Chris, that's one way to look at it - both factors are on a sliding scale or in other words:

On some days fish are more active and predictable and therefore location trumps lure and presentation selection (spring - fish shallow and easy targets).

On other days, the only way you can get a reflex bite is with luck, with lures and presentations being as important as having a general knowledge of the lake or river locations(summer doldrums).

Knowledge of dead water areas (maybe 75% or more of the bottom?) saves time getting casting practice.

Good point.

slonezp reply :

Quote

Knowledge of dead water areas (maybe 75% or more of the bottom?) saves time getting casting practice.

Very important info when tournament fishing. Being knowledgable enough to eliminate non-productive water is as important if not more than finding water holding fish. Look at it as time management.

MFBAB reply :

Quote
When you don't have a clue, the simple solution
is to fish points and around grass. Regardless of

how heavily these obvious spots get hammered,

they (almost) always hold a few fish.

8-)

This is close to my general strategy. By choosing to start by targeting "points", or whatever you deem to be the prominent structure feature of your lake, you can essentially eliminate 90% of the water right out of the box. By running points you can then systematically present a variety of baits in a smaller amount of water, covering the water column from top to bottom until you figure out a consistent presentation. Then just replicate that depth/speed/structure combo all day.

As relates to the original question, if points are holding fish that day but I decide to only drag a c-rig on points all day, what happens if the fish are feeding on shad? I'm in the right location but presenting under them. If I throw a rig and then a crankbait and then a topwater or whatever it takes to cover the water column, I find out how they are feeding that day a lot faster

SENKOSAM reply :

Quote
As relates to the original question, if points are holding fish that day but I decide to only drag a c-rig on points all day, what happens if the fish are feeding on shad?

Fine tuning to a productive presentation may be tough if you're not sure fish are present and feeding, but sometimes I guess faith in an area is all you got after 3 hours of no bites. Too often I'm guilty of not trying different lures or presentations after the first attempt and moving on. Call be skeptical but I usually assume that if fish were present, they were either completely turned off or at least bothered by my pestering.

How often does a secondary or tertiary presentation work for you in the same area after not getting even a nibble on the first try?

In tournament fishing, maybe that's the drawback with milk runs - anglers run & gun spots without giving them a chance with a secondary presentation with a different lure, different size lure or slowing down. My usual assumption is that I've cast to dead water after I got no hits with the same lure and that it's time to move on.

MFBAB reply :

On that point pattern above, I'm not really talking about camping on an area for 3 hours. More like hit a primary, work it 15 minutes or so with several baits, then hit a secondary, etc...Before long, you should have an idea of whether they are shallow, deep or inbetween and also whether they are in the creeks or on the main lake points, you just eliminate water (in this case the miles of straight banks in between points)to speed up that process. Once you figure out the general depth and speed, you can start looking for structure or cover anywhere in that depth and try to replicate your pattern on it.

BlackBass19 reply :

Alright we have established that you need to be on fish to catch fish regardless of technique, lures, etc.

When fishing a new body of water how do you go about finding fish? Let's assume it's March and that puts all of us in the pre/early spawn time frame.

In order to gauge a pattern what three or four structural elements will you be looking for (vegetation beds, humps, flats, timber, etc.) and at what depth ranges do you want to find these items.

Sorry to hijack the thread was heading this way...

Lund Explorer reply :

Quote
Alright we have established that you need to be on fish to catch fish regardless of technique, lures, etc.
When fishing a new body of water how do you go about finding fish? Let's assume it's March and that puts all of us in the pre/early spawn time frame.

In order to gauge a pattern what three or four structural elements will you be looking for (vegetation beds, humps, flats, timber, etc.) and at what depth ranges do you want to find these items.

Sorry to hijack the thread was heading this way...

I don't think you hijacked it, you just took it in the direction it needed to go sooner or later. Because in my opinion, the idea that location is 99% of the game doesn't allow for enough left for the other remaining aspects.

Earlier, I stated that success comes about through a combination of three parts. This theory was put forth many years ago by the staff of In-Fisherman, and is the best explanation I've ever heard. So in trying to answer your question regarding location, I'll ask you a few questions.

What are the bass looking for at this time of year?

That should be fairly easy. Understanding that bass have three main instincts that dominate their life, Food, Shelter, and Reproduction, can narrow your search. In this instance, pre-spawn is going to tell you that the bass will be staging somewhere near spawning areas on the lake you are looking at.

What kind of lake are you going to fish on?

The second part of this puzzle lays in the type of lake that you are targeting. It would do little good to try to fish a midwestern natural eutrophic lake using tactics suited to a southern impoundment. You can't follow creek channels into spawning coves on a lake that was formed without any creek channels in it. So after you have learned of the habits of the bass, you need to learn as much about the various types of lakes, rivers, or impoundments there are, and the types of structure and cover you will find on these types of waters.

By combining your knowledge of the bass' seasonal needs and how these fish will relate to current conditions, you should be able to determine what types of structure or cover they will be focused on given those same seasons and conditions. Once you have these two factors figured out, you come to the final question.

What baits should I use?

Almost every bait you can buy on the market will catch fish at some point in time, while very few will catch fish all of the time. You need to think about the first two aspects of this effort to figure out which bait completes your entire plan for success. If the season and conditions tell you that the bass will be actively feeding, then you should focus on baits that give you the best chance to quickly take advantage of this. Conversely, if conditions tell you that most fish will be suffering from a case of lockjaw, then you will need to focus your efforts with baits that work better for neutral or negative bass.

So now taking all of this into consideration, I'll tackle your challenge of facing a new lake. It doesn't matter if it's March, July, or December. I should be able to look at what the bass are doing based on the season, I should understand the attributes of the type of lake it is, and taking current conditions into mind, I should be able to find fish and determine what type of mood they will most likely be in.

Case in point - Kentucky Lake and the upcoming Roadtrip. I have only been on that lake once in my life. I was 13 years old, and we fished for nothing but crappie. Now I'm getting ready to go there this spring to fish for bass. The lake is huge by the standards of the lakes I normally fish. But I have confidence that I can catch fish down there. I won't do as well as the guys who fish it all the time, but I should avoid the skunk. This is because I know the fish I'm going after, I have fished impoundments like it before, and I know what the season is. The challenges I will face are going to be based on the actual conditions for the time I'm there, and what baits I'll need to throw to maximize my chances based on the fishes mood.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I don't know how to explain it any other way. It's F + L + P = Success.

Catt reply :

Quote
Alright we have established that you need to be on fish to catch fish regardless of technique, lures, etc.
When fishing a new body of water how do you go about finding fish? Let's assume it's March and that puts all of us in the pre/early spawn time frame.

In order to gauge a pattern what three or four structural elements will you be looking for (vegetation beds, humps, flats, timber, etc.) and at what depth ranges do you want to find these items.

Sorry to hijack the thread was heading this way...

Understand what the primary prey species in your lake is and how that species relates to structure with each changing season...morning, noon, and night.

Locate prime structure, interpret it (find break lines), and then figure how fish it effectively (lure selection & presentation).

Next is timing; just because you didn't get bite does not mean the bass aren't there or you tied on the wrong lure. Some times it's a morning bite sometimes it's an afternoon bite.

Team9nine reply :

A lot depends on what your overall expectations are. In other words, are you just talking about a regular old fishing trip where you're trying to catch bass of any size, or do you have the tournament mentality that you're after 5 of the best quality in the lake? If the former, location becomes a considerably smaller percent of the equation and probably isn't even primary. If the latter, then location takes on a much greater significance.

-T9

5bass reply :

Quote
When fishing a new body of water how do you go about finding fish? Let's assume it's March and that puts all of us in the pre/early spawn time frame.

Find the baitfish first, then move to the first available cover or structure you can find. Fish the depth zone that the baitfish are using with a bait you can keep in that zone for the maximum amount of time.

It could be different in other places but overthe years I've learned that until the water hits 50 or so, the bass generally hang around the baitfish more than anything else. Because of this, I have zero confidence in an area that has no bait this time of year (sub 50 water temps)

5bass reply :

Quote

Quote
Case in point - Kentucky Lake and the upcoming Roadtrip. I'm getting ready to go there this spring to fish for bass. The lake is huge by the standards of the lakes I normally fish. But I have confidence that I can catch fish down there. I won't do as well as the guys who fish it all the time, but I should avoid the skunk.

You dont have to worry about getting skunked on Kentucky Lake. There's so many bass in that place it aint even funny....and they feed right often.

SENKOSAM reply :

Lund Explorer, I hope you have a good map of the lake that includes detailed depth changes, old road beds, rock walls, stump field, etc. (if any).

Bait fish aren't always in areas you expect them to be and many times bass just hang out, not immune to a well placed lure (pads, tree limbs, boulder). I fished a large deep reservoir last fall with someone who usually can pattern fish, but not that day. We ended up catching one fish per spot, spots located 100-200 yards from each other. Sonar showed schools of bait fish in open water near drops, but no larger fish beneath them. All fish caught were next to shore near cover (a tree, weed pile-ups and in a shallow weed bed). To top it off, the water was clear with temperature in the upper 40's and a 0-10 mph wind was blowing. (no wind at 7am).

It's always nice to be able to pattern fish, but there are too many days where I've run into one spot/one fish.

kikstand454 reply :

Quote

Quote
Alright we have established that you need to be on fish to catch fish regardless of technique, lures, etc.
When fishing a new body of water how do you go about finding fish? Let's assume it's March and that puts all of us in the pre/early spawn time frame.

In order to gauge a pattern what three or four structural elements will you be looking for (vegetation beds, humps, flats, timber, etc.) and at what depth ranges do you want to find these items.

Sorry to hijack the thread was heading this way...

I don't think you hijacked it, you just took it in the direction it needed to go sooner or later. Because in my opinion, the idea that location is 99% of the game doesn't allow for enough left for the other remaining aspects.

Earlier, I stated that success comes about through a combination of three parts. This theory was put forth many years ago by the staff of In-Fisherman, and is the best explanation I've ever heard. So in trying to answer your question regarding location, I'll ask you a few questions.

What are the bass looking for at this time of year?

That should be fairly easy. Understanding that bass have three main instincts that dominate their life, Food, Shelter, and Reproduction, can narrow your search. In this instance, pre-spawn is going to tell you that the bass will be staging somewhere near spawning areas on the lake you are looking at.

What kind of lake are you going to fish on?

The second part of this puzzle lays in the type of lake that you are targeting. It would do little good to try to fish a midwestern natural eutrophic lake using tactics suited to a southern impoundment. You can't follow creek channels into spawning coves on a lake that was formed without any creek channels in it. So after you have learned of the habits of the bass, you need to learn as much about the various types of lakes, rivers, or impoundments there are, and the types of structure and cover you will find on these types of waters.

By combining your knowledge of the bass' seasonal needs and how these fish will relate to current conditions, you should be able to determine what types of structure or cover they will be focused on given those same seasons and conditions. Once you have these two factors figured out, you come to the final question.

What baits should I use?

Almost every bait you can buy on the market will catch fish at some point in time, while very few will catch fish all of the time. You need to think about the first two aspects of this effort to figure out which bait completes your entire plan for success. If the season and conditions tell you that the bass will be actively feeding, then you should focus on baits that give you the best chance to quickly take advantage of this. Conversely, if conditions tell you that most fish will be suffering from a case of lockjaw, then you will need to focus your efforts with baits that work better for neutral or negative bass.

So now taking all of this into consideration, I'll tackle your challenge of facing a new lake. It doesn't matter if it's March, July, or December. I should be able to look at what the bass are doing based on the season, I should understand the attributes of the type of lake it is, and taking current conditions into mind, I should be able to find fish and determine what type of mood they will most likely be in.

Case in point - Kentucky Lake and the upcoming Roadtrip. I have only been on that lake once in my life. I was 13 years old, and we fished for nothing but crappie. Now I'm getting ready to go there this spring to fish for bass. The lake is huge by the standards of the lakes I normally fish. But I have confidence that I can catch fish down there. I won't do as well as the guys who fish it all the time, but I should avoid the skunk. This is because I know the fish I'm going after, I have fished impoundments like it before, and I know what the season is. The challenges I will face are going to be based on the actual conditions for the time I'm there, and what baits I'll need to throw to maximize my chances based on the fishes mood.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I don't know how to explain it any other way. It's F + L + P = Success.

x2.

knowledge and versatility can trump local knowledge regularly.

take a look at major tournements... esp those of the b.a.s.s. elite or F.l.w pro tour and you will see that RARELY does the "home angler" win. i think local knowledge gives you an upperhand in sudden game changing scenarios... but for the most part the advantage tops out at a good chance of at least being in the money.

if you fish a body of water regularly then you know that even the "hot" spots can skunk people or not have the weight to win a tourney. you know that even within a certain season the fish change mood day to day...hour to hour even. and certainly from one week to the next.

knowing how to figure out the puzzle is much more productive than having "spots". this is why kvd could come to your home lake and outfish its best guide more times than not. wheather hes been on it or not.

silvercliff_46 reply :

It's not just being on fish, it's being on active fish. No one south of the ice belt can truly understand what negative attitude is in a fish, until you fish them below 30-40" of ice. I have gone out with a very sensitive ice fishing narrow coned fish finder, AND a camera. I have found tightly schooled fish stacked like cord wood, yet using several presentations still drew blanks. On one occasion we did manage to take three crappies by bouncing the jig on their heads until they finally grabbed the micro jig.

Isn't it great that with all our electronic equipment, all the acquired knowlege, the fish can still stump us. ;D

Lund Explorer reply :

Quote

Quote

Quote
Case in point - Kentucky Lake and the upcoming Roadtrip. I'm getting ready to go there this spring to fish for bass. The lake is huge by the standards of the lakes I normally fish. But I have confidence that I can catch fish down there. I won't do as well as the guys who fish it all the time, but I should avoid the skunk.

You dont have to worry about getting skunked on Kentucky Lake. There's so many bass in that place it aint even funny....and they feed right often.

Oh, I'm sure I'll catch fish. Seeing as how Deb has said she plans on beating us like a tribe full of redheaded stepkids, the only question is who will come in second! ;D

Lund Explorer reply :

Quote
Lund Explorer, I hope you have a good map of the lake that includes detailed depth changes, old road beds, rock walls, stump field, etc. (if any).
Bait fish aren't always in areas you expect them to be and many times bass just hang out, not immune to a well placed lure (pads, tree limbs, boulder). I fished a large deep reservoir last fall with someone who usually can pattern fish, but not that day. We ended up catching one fish per spot, spots located 100-200 yards from each other. Sonar showed schools of bait fish in open water near drops, but no larger fish beneath them. All fish caught were next to shore near cover (a tree, weed pile-ups and in a shallow weed bed). To top it off, the water was clear with temperature in the upper 40's and a 0-10 mph wind was blowing. (no wind at 7am).

It's always nice to be able to pattern fish, but there are too many days where I've run into one spot/one fish.

I'm all set as Long Mike got me a really nice map of the lake, and I've spent quite a bit of time looking it over. My Lowrance GPS also has good mapping that I'll have with me on the water. I've kind of laid out a plan in my head, but will wait until I actually see what the conditions are before I see if it needs changing. From reading about the prior road trip, it sounds like the weather could be a big factor. Just part of the game I guess.

I can tell you one thing though. From the looks of the place, I plan to fish most of these coves just like they are their own seperate lakes, all connected by a river. The basis of the plan is "Old & Slow" with me as the former and the boat as the latter. Once I make it into one of these coves, I'll pick my way though the entire place before moving on.

One spot/one bass? I can remember a time when it seemed like those darn fish should have called vitamin bass.... One - A - Day! ;D

Fortunately I haven't suffered from too many of those days lately. If it is boils down to only one fish per/spot, I suppose I'll need 30+ spots then huh?

11010

Angler success : 99 % location/ 1% everything else??? 2024

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